{
  "id": 230467,
  "title": "I tried frozen custard from Culver's, Freddy's, and Shake Shack — and there's only one chain I'm rushing to return to",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/06/i-tried-frozen-custard-from-culvers-freddys-and-shake-shack-and",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-06T17:14:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Insider",
    "slug": "business-insider",
    "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/best-frozen-custard-culvers-freddys-shake-shack-chain-comparison-review-2026-8"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In this investigative report, the author sampled frozen custard from three different chains: Culver's, Freddy's, and Shake Shack. The author's journey began with visiting Culver's, a beloved Midwest chain with over 1,000 locations across 26 states. Despite the moderately busy atmosphere, the author appreciated Culver's ice cream-like custard, describing it as \"super customizable\" with options for various flavors and mix-ins. However, the author found the portion size to be rather small, resulting in a \"barely half full\" 8-ounce cup.\n\nNext, the author ventured to Freddy's, a newer Midwest favorite with over 500 stores across the nation and Canada. Here, the author encountered a long line, hinting at the chain's popularity. The retro-themed interior and vintage diner feel added to the ambiance. Freddy's custard, described as having a \"drippy consistency\" and a \"grainy mouthfeel,\" was still enjoyable, though the author preferred Culver's in terms of texture and portion size.\n\nFinally, the author discovered Shake Shack, a New York-based chain known for its burgers and custard-based treats. While Shake Shack boasted a modern, chic interior and had a self-ordering kiosk, custard concretes were removed from their US menus in 2020. Consequently, the author settled for a small vanilla custard, which, while flavorful, lacked the smooth texture and rich mouthfeel found in Culver's custard. Overall, the author concluded that Culver's emerged as the clear winner, delivering a satisfying custard experience that outshone its competitors.",
  "summary": "I bought custard and concretes from chains Culver's, Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, and Shake Shack to find the best frozen custard dessert.",
  "key_points": [
    "Author sampled frozen custard from Culver's, Freddy's, and Shake Shack",
    "Culver's custard described as customizable with ice cream-like texture",
    "Shake Shack removed custard concretes from US menus in 2020"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The author's preference for Culver's over Freddy's and Shake Shack signals that high-quality texture and generous portion size are key to winning over customers in the frozen custard market.",
  "illustration": "https://urgent.news/ill/230467.png",
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Brazil Journal",
        "title": "Starboard takes a bite out of Shake Shack, says company is worth double",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/07/starboard-da-uma-mordida-no-shake-shack-e-diz-que-a-empresa-vale-o",
        "published": "2026-08-07T17:14:19.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}